By Naomi
June is Pride Month, and that’s a natural moment to highlight queer books, as we’ve already done here. However, Pride doesn’t end in June! With that in mind, below are some books being released later this year to keep the Pride spirit going all year long.
If any of these titles tickle your fancy, feel free to contact us to place a pre-order! Which upcoming release are you looking forward to?
July
Who doesn’t love donuts? This is the author’s YA debut, where two teens must set aside their years-long feud to save the donut shop they both work at.
Thrill of the Chase by Kathryn Nolan
Adventure-romances are the next big thing, and this sapphic romance brings chemistry, heart, and adventure. It’s also an exploration of queer history and a reminder that queer spaces are so very important.
The Memory Hunters by Mia Tsai
The Memory Hunters is a science fantasy novel about a scholar and her bodyguard who must work together to uncover long-hidden secrets of their society, while deeply pining for each other.
August
Both/And: Essays by Trans and Gender-Nonconforming Writers of Color edited by Denne Michele Norris
This essay anthology features fifteen new essays by, you guessed it, trans and gender-nonconforming writers of color. Trans perspectives must be uplifted and amplified, and in this essay collection you will find stories of queer joy, heartbreak, rage, and self-discovery.
The Barefoot Followers of Sweet Potato Grace by Megan Okonsky
A group of barefoot travelers comes to town in the middle of Pinky’s funeral for her cat, saving her from having to come out. As her Southern town goes crazy with speculation, Pinky learns to embrace her true self and find acceptance.
This fictional memoir is about a cello virtuoso who descends into a depression when no orchestra wants to perform his symphonies. It explores his relationships with various men who influenced his musical life and tries to answer the question “What happens when a person decides to live only in their imagination?”
September
Radical Relating by Mel Cassidy
This is a guide to post-monogamy, for those who want to “practice their non-monogamy with more feminism, more queerness, and more community-building”.
Raising Trans Kids: What to Expect When You Weren’t Expecting This by Rebecca Minor
Having a supportive environment is key to trans kids’ health and well-being. This book is a lifeline for parents, educators, advocates, and those wanting to foster a safe environment.
The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar by Sonora Reyes
In this companion novel to The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, Cesar comes to terms with his bisexuality and his new bipolar disorder diagnosis, while navigating how his religion influences it all.
October
The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong
Right on time for cozy season, this fantasy adventure features an almost-mage and an overachieving mage, an assignment to the least magical village in the realm, and lots of fights with sentient objects.
An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder by K. Valentin
If you read Legends and Lattes and thought “man, I wish there was more talk of eating people in this book”, this is the one for you. It’s about broken people creating their own family, while navigating curses and magical powers.
All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles
I love any and all comparisons to the movie Knives Out, and in this genre-bending Gothic mystery Zeb must team-up with his ex-lover to survive a murderous family gathering.
November
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose by Robyn Green
Two actors’ rivalry in a West End theatre production gets mistaken for romantic tension on stage, leading them to fake-date to promote their production. It’s a love letter to theatre and trying to figure it all out in your thirties.
My Gender, My Rules by Andy Passchier
This read-aloud picture book will be published in partnership with GLAAD, the American NGO that monitors LGBTQIA+ representation in the media. It helps adults start the conversation with their kids about gender in a supportive and affirming way.
“Hannah Montana meets Heartstopper”. I don’t think I need to say anything else.
December
The Book of Luke by Lovell Holder
For fans of reality competition shows like The Traitors and The Challenge, Holder’s debut novel explores what it means to try to reinvent yourself when no one will let you forget your past.
A Short History of Queer Parenting by Kirsty Loehr
This book explores the lives of queer parents in history, guided by the author’s own experience with reciprocal IVF.
The Six Loves of James I by Gareth Russell
In this biography of King James I, Gareth Russell dives into a topic that’s historically been shied away from: the king’s sexuality.
